Indexed ballot and ballot-book.



No. 874,599. PATENTED DEG. 24, 190'7 P.'A. JOHNSON. INDEXED BALLOT 'AND BALLOT BOOK.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 16; 1897- Mirzlasses- IZYT/EIZL Uri flu I I Frwzl'Ami Johzaorz .rH: NORRIS PETERS 00.. uusum'ron, u. c.

FRANK AMOS JOHNSON, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDEXED BALLOT AND BALLOT-BOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24;, 1907.

Application filed November 16, 1897. Serial No. 658.734.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK AMos JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexed Ballots and Ballot-Books, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises a ballot made up of a plurality of slips and a book or pad from which the slips are detached in preparing the ballot for voting. The book or pad contain ing slips for all the candidates nominated and blank slips for independent candidates I shall term a ballot book. In the ballot book there are a set of slips for each office and there are as many slips in each set as there are candidates, plus a blank slip for an independent candidate. The slips of each set are distinguishable from each other by reason of havin the names of the candidates upon them an they are preferably distinguishable also by suitable numbers, letters or marks indicating the different parties. To distinguish between the sets the slips for the different oflices are of different lengths and they are preferably of different colors, to as sist in sorting them. The slips are arran ed in the order of their length and preferably bound at one endto form the ballot book. Adjacent to -the bound end the leaves or slips are perforated or indented so that they can be readily torn off. The ballot is made up by detaching slips or votes from the book corresponding to a candidate for each oflice and arranging the detached slips in the order in which they occur in the book, after which the ballot may be inserted in an envelop or the slips suitably connected by a paper fastener as will be hereinafter explained. In the book the longest sli s or votes are arranged at the back, the s ortest in front and the intermediate ones in the order of their length. The names of the offices to be filled are printed on the free ends of the ballots, thus forming an index which is visible when the book is closed. The same arrangement is adhered to in preparing the ballot and the voter can therefore ascertain at a glance if his vote is complete. In the case of an ignorant or stupid voter the judge can inspect the ballot and advise the voter how to complete it without seeing what candidates havebeen voted for.

My invention is also intended to expedite the matter of counting the votes. The characteristic sizes and colors enable the votes for the different offices to be separated very readily. This may be done by inspecting the backs only of the leaves or slips when the votes for different oflices differ in size or color, or both, and-secrecy of the ballot may thus be insured whether the voter desires it or not. The votes for the candidates for each office may then be separated either by referring to the names on them or to distinctive numbers or marks which indicate the different parties. Thus, for instance, the votes for the different parties may be differently marked, the Republicans having one mark, the Democrats another, etc.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view of a ballot book constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a simi- "lar view of a ballot prepared from detached leaves of the book shown in Fig. 1. Fig; 3 shows an envelop or receptacle 1n which the ballot may be inserted. Fig. 4 shows the completed ballot within the envelop. Fi s. 5 and 6 show another method of fastening tie ballot in an envelop.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates the ballot book consisting of several sets of leaves 1 numbered respectively 1, 2, 3 etc. arranged in the order of their length, the shortest being in front. At one end all the leaves are even and bound together by suitable fastenings 6. Near the fastenings 6 the slips have a row of indentations or perforations 7 along which they may be easily torn. The exposed ends of the slips have the names of the offices conspicuously printed on them and they may also have other identifying marks, such as the letters A, B, 0. As a further means of identification and to facilitate counting the vote I prefer to make the slips for the different oflices of different colors. Thus the slips of group 1 may be white, those of group 2 blue, etc. On the front cover 8 of the book full directions for preparing the ballot may be printed.

The ballot B shown in Fig. 2 consists of one leaf from each group arranged in the order in which the groups are arranged in the book. To keep the leaves of the ballot together and preserve secrecy they are inserted in an envelop E and prevented from falling out by some suitable fastening. As shown, in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the leaves of the book are provided with perforations 9 which register with a similar'perforation 10 in the envelop and an ordinary paper fastener may the back.

be passed through these holes, thus fastening the ballot securely in the envelop. In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated an envelop E having a tongue 12 on the front and a slit 13 on The ballot slips for this envelop are provided with slits 14 through which the tongue passes, as shown in Fig. 6. The end of the tongue may be passed through the slide 13 or pasted to the envelop.

Instead of the rectangular ballot slips illustrated they may be made of other forms, within the scope of the invention, it being only necessary that the sets of slips for the different offices should be of different shapes or sizes so as to be readily distinguishable from each other. The rectangular form shown is believed to be the most convenient. The slips may, in some instances, be all of the same color and the distinguishing marks, such as the letters A, B, may be omitted, but to facilitate sorting and counting the ballots it is preferred to have different colored slips for the different offices and to use marks. Thus the votes for the different offices are distinguished by color, size and marking, and errors in sorting are rendered almost impossible. To facilitate separating the votes for the different condidates the slips are marked prominently with the name of the party and if desired they may also have distinctive marks indicating the different parties, such as X Fig. 2.

In using the ballot the voter is provided with a ballot book and an envelop or holder. He then enters the voting booth and selects a slip for each office, picking out the candidates he desires to vote for or writing the names of independent condidates on the blank slips provided for that purpose. He arranges the slips in the order in which he finds them in the book, as shown in Fig. 2, and places them in the envelop so that the names of the parties and candidates are hidden. The prepared vote may then be inspected by the judge without disclosing the names or politics of the candidates voted for and if properly prepared it is then deposited.

In counting the votes the slips for the diflerent oflices are first separated by size and color, which can be done very rapidly and Without chance of error and by separating the votes face down the candidates voted for by any particular voter will not be disclosed. Each of the groups of slips thus formed Will contain the votes cast for all of the candidates for a given office. The slips in each group are then separated into subgroups corresponding to the individual candidates, which may be done quickly by simply referring to the party names on the slips or the marks representing the different parties. After this it only remains to sort the independent votes and count the votes of the several candidates.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A ballot book having a separable leaf for each candidate, the leaves for each office having a common distinguishing characteristic, differing from the leaves for the other offices, whereby the selection of leaves to form a ballot is facilitated.

2. A ballot book having a separable leaf for each candidate, the leaves for candidates for different offices bearing different designating marks and the leaves for all candidates for the same office bearing the same designating mark, the mark corresponding to the different offices constituting a series, whereby the selection of leaves to form a ballot is facilitated.

3. A ballot book having a separable leaf for each candidate, the leaves for each office being of uniform size and having a uniform distinctive mark, and the leaves for different oflices being of different sizes and having different distinctive marks, for the purpose set forth.

4. A ballot book having a separable leaf for each candidate, the leaves for each office being of uniform size and the leaves for different offices being of different sizes, for the purpose set forth.

5. A ballot book having a separable leaf for each candidate, the leaves for each office being of uniform size and color and the leaves for different offices being of different sizes and colors, for the purpose set forth.

6. A ballot book consisting of a series of leaves, one for each candidate for every office to which the ballot can refer, all of the leaves relating to each particular office being arranged together and being of the same size and of a different size from the leaves relating to every other office,:the exposed portions of the outer leaves of the different groups forming an index of the several offices to be voted for, substantially as described.

7. A ballot book consisting of a series of leaves, one for each candidate for every office to which the ballot can refer, all of the leaves relating to each particular office being arranged together and being of the same size and of a different size from the leaves relating to every other office, the exposed portions of the outer leaves of the different groups bearing the titles of the several offices to be voted for.

8. A ballot book comprising a series of leaves arranged in groups corresponding in number to the office to be filled, each group including as many leaves as there are candidates for the office to which that group relates, and each leaf bearing marks distin guishing it from every other leaf in the same group, the leaves of each group being of different size from those in the other groups, whereby a portion of the outer leaf of each group will be exposed forming an index to the offices to be voted for, substantially as described.

9. A ballot book consisting of a series of leaves arranged in groups corresponding in number to the offices to be filled, each group including as many leaves as there are candidates for the office to which that group relates, and each leaf being distinguishable said leaves being so assembled that the names of the oflices may be inspected without viewing the names of the candidates, for the purpose set forth.

11. A ballot comprising a plurality of separably connected leaves having thereon the names of the candidates to be voted for and the names of the oflices to be filled, the

names of the candidates'being concealed and the names of the offices being exposed to form an index for the ballot, for the purpose set forth.

12. A plural ballot having a separate leaf for each candidate, each leaf bearing one of a series of distinctive designating symbols, and means for holding said leaves in such relation as to display the designating symbols in their serial order, for the purpose set forth.

13. A plural ballot having a separate leaf for each candidate, each leaf bearing near one end one of a series of distinctive designating symbols, and the leaves varying in length and being arranged to expose the entire series of symbols, for the purpose set forth.

14. A ballot comprising 'a plurality of separably connected contrastingly-colored leaves, of progressively increasing lengths arranged in the order of their lengths, whereby a portion of each leaf is exposed, said leaves bearing identifying marks on the exposed portions thereof, for the purpose set forth.

15. A ballot comprising a plurality of contrastingly-colored leaves, of progressively increasing lengths arranged in the order of their length and connected together, whereby a portion of each leaf is exposed, said leaves bearing respectively on the exposed portions thereof the names of the offices to be filled.

16. A ballot comprising leaves for the different candidates voted for, said leaves being of different sizes and so connected that a portion of each leaf is exposed, said exposed portions being provided with suitable marks forming an index, and an envelop or cover covering the leaves excepting the index portion thereof, substantially as described.

17. A ballot consisting of a series of leaves, one for each office voted for by the party casting the ballot, and each distinguishable fromevery other in the series, and a holder adapted to receive and connect said leaves and allow a portion of each to be exposed to form an index to the offices to which the ballot refers while concealing any indication regarding the particular candidates for which the ballot is prepared. 7

18. A ballot consisting of a series of leaves, one for each office voted for by the party casting the ballot, the leaf relating to each oflice differing in size from the leaves for every other office referred to by the ballot whereby when the leaves are placed together the exposed portions will form an index to the ballot, and a holder adapted to receive the leaves and conceal all but the index portions thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK AMOS JOHNSON. 

